Modern wireless communication protocols may use multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) transmission schemes when transferring communications to wireless devices. MIMO uses multiple antennas for each carrier in a wireless access node in order to improve communication transfer performance. The improvements in communication transfer performance may include increased data throughput and wireless range. Examples of MIMO wireless protocols include Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE), and some forms of Wireless Fidelity (WIFI).
In some cases, a wireless access node may be able to vary the number of antennas and carriers used in the access node in order to either increase capacity or increase data throughput. For example, the access node may be able to use all of its antennas with a single carrier to maximize data throughput. Alternatively, the access node may be able to split the antennas among two carriers in order to increase capacity at the expense of data throughput. In this second arrangement, the access node is able to transmit communications to one set of wireless devices using one carrier while transmitting to another set using another carrier. Data throughput is sacrificed because less antennas are used for transmitting communications to each device.